Cooling and ice tank coils



COOLING AND ICE TANK COILS Filed Aug. 3, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY-S Aug. 2, 1932. E. s. H. BAARS COOLING AND'ICE TANK cons 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1929' WAII/l 7 9d 1 m 5 7 W ai firm! w l b I l IF I H LU Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITED ,S-TATES PATENT OFFICE I ERNST S. H. BAARS,

IASSIGNOR ro THE; VILTER MANU- A oonronmron or WISCONSIN coomue AND ICE rim: COILS Application filed August 3, 1929. Serial No. 883,272.

' My invention has relation to improvements in cooling and ice tank coils.

An object of the-invention is to provide an improved construction whereby rapid circup lation of the liquid refrigerant is obtained without requiring alarge liquid head, this being accomplished by a more or less vertical v whereby all possible other suitable operation.

arrangement of the tubes or pipes, providing for the very shortest possible distance for the gases or vapors to travel, the arrangement being such that the gases or vapors travel upwardly in each individual pipe, and the liquid refrigerant downwardly in onlya limited number of the pipes which are arranged for it.

Another object is the provision of an arrangement wherebythe liquid refrigerant is maintained at a uniform level throughout the system.

A further object resides in the construction whereby a maximum surface is provided in a minimum of space, the space, however, being sufiicient at the headers for fastening the tubes or pipes to the headers by welding, or

A still further object is the arrangement resistance to the upwar and liquid is eliminated, thereby providing for the pressure in the lower extremities of the cooling tubes being at a minimum, and the evaporating tempera- .ture as low as possible, with the' result that the transfer of heat becomes a maximum.

movement of vapor Afurther object is the provision for easily p disposing of the oil which the refrigerant may have carried along from the high pressure side of the system.

With the above objects, and other incidental objects in View, the invention consists of the devices and parts, or the equivalents thereof, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. looking in the direction of the arrows, and showingparts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,.looking in the direction of the arrows; i

Fig. 4 is. a view on an enlarged scale, of a.

site sides of the accumulator 1 ly in opposite directions from opposite fragment of Fig. 3, parts being in section and parts broken away; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, arts of the cooling tubes being broken away. Referring to the drawings, the numeral 6 indicates the tank in which the improved mechanism is disposed, and which tank is also adapted to contain the refrigerating medium, which may be water, brine, air, etc.

The numeral 7 indicates the accumulator, which is shown as arranged within the tank medially near one end of said tank, and extending upwardly outside of the tank. This accumulator, through the medium of the pipe 8, is in communication with the compressor, condenser, receiver, etc., or in .other words, with the high pressure side of a refrigerating system (not shown).

Headers 9-9 extend horizontally in. opposite directions from diametrically oppoat points near the sides of the tank, the said headers extending from the accumulator at points below the upper edge of the tank, so that said headers are entirely within the tank.

Other headers 1010 extend horizontaldiametrically sides of the accumulator, near the lower end of said accumulator. 'These lower headers are also somewhat less in diameter than the upper headers 9.

Communicating with one of the upper headers 9, near the end air of horizontally extending parallel suplongitudilemental headers 11-11, running side of nally of the tank, and adjacent one said tank, and also communicating with and extending from the other header 9 is another pair of supplemental headers 1212, running longitudinally of the tank and ad- 'jacent the other s1de-of said tank.

Lower supplemental headers 13-13 and 14-14 extend from the lower main headers 10, parallel with the opposite sides of the tank and longitudinally of said tank.

With respect to these upper and lower headers, while I have shown each set of these headers as comprising a pair, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to that particular number, as it is obvious that of said/header, are a and terminate both the upper and lower supplemental head- It will be noted that the lower supplemental headers 13 andsl l are smaller in diam and furthermore eter than the upper headers 11 and 12, and are not in direct. line therewith, but offset therefrom slightly. v

A system of refrigerant or cooling tubes connects each upper supplemental header with its corresponding lower supplemental header. The connection is provided by three classes of tubes, designated by the numerals 15, 16 and 27, respectively, the tubes 27 being the shortest.

The upper end of each tube 15 is curved over the top of the supplemental header with which it co-operates, as indicated by the numeral l7, and enters an opening in the top or upper side of the supplemental header. These curved over ends of these different pipes or tubes are preferably disposed at an oblique angle, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Each tube 15 is continued downwardly and enters a top opening in the lower supplemental header with which it co-operates.

Each tube 16 enters an opening in the lower side of each of the supplemental headers l1 and 12, and extends into said supplemental header a -sullicient distance so that its upper end will be slightly above the level of the refrigerant liquid in the upper supplemental header, as clearly shown in Fig. 4- of the drawings. The lower ends of the tubes 16 and 27 are curved inwardly toward and to the lower supplemental header, as indicated by he numeral 18, and communicate with an opening in the side of said supplemental header, as also clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

By this disposition of the headers and the cooling tubes, it will be seen that the open end of the upper curved over portion of each tube 15 can be readily adjusted to the topopenings of the upper supplemental headers, and the lower ends of said tubes 15 read 11y ad usted to the top openings of the lower supplemental headers, owing to the offset position of the lower supplemental-headers, I the upper ends'of tubes 16 and 27 can be readily positioned into the lower openings of the upper supplemental headers, and these tubes then turned so that their curved lower ends 18 can be brought into the side openings of the lower supplemental head r. It will also be seen that by this arrangement sufficient space is left at the headers to fasten the cooling tubes or pipes within the openings of the supplemental headers, by welding or other suitable operation.

In order to insure the circulation of the brine, water, or other refrigerating medium, around the cooling tubes, I enclose said tubes in casings 19-19, which may be either open at the top or closed, the upper side walls of the tank forming the outer sides of said casings. The upper ends of these casings when open terminate just short of the upper edge of the tank. In the opposite ends of these casings are openings 20-20, which provide for the entrance into the casings, and the exit from the casings, of the brine or other refrigerating medium.

In line with each of the right-hand openings 20 is a fan propeller, or like apparatus, 21, which, when rotated acts to draw the refrigerating medium within the tank through the right-hand opening 20 of the casing, and

to force said medium along the length of the casing, causing the medium to circulate" around the cooling tubes, the said medium being finally forced outwardly through the opening 20 at the left-hand end of'the casing, thus providing for a complete and continuous circulation of the refrigerating medium around the cooling tubes and then back into the tank.

The fan. shafts 22 have sprocket wheels 2323 mounted thereon, which are c0nnect-' On the extremityed by a sprocket chain 24. a of one of the fan shafts is mounted a pulley 25, which is connected to any suitable driving power by means of a belt (not shown). It is obvious that when the pulley is rotated its rotation will be communicated to one of the fan shafts, and the rotation of this fan shaft will be communicated to the other fan shaft through the medium of the described sprocket chain connection, or other suitable means.

I also vention, a oil that the refrigerant may have carried along from the high pressure side of the system.- It will be evident that wherever oil is released by the liquid refrigerant, it readily returns to the accumulator through the system of pipes or tubes and the headers, and as the oil is heavier than the liquid refrigerant, said oil will settle in the bottom of the accumulator. It can then be blown off by a valve 26. I

The refrigerant liquid, which is of a volatile character, is adapted to circulate through the headers and cooling tubes. and may be of any suitable character, such as ammonia, methyl chloride, carbon dioxide, etc., and the cooling tubes, in view of the fact that they extend downwardly in a substantially vertical line, are immersed in the refrigerating medium, such as brine, contained in the tank.

The apparatus may be employed for freezmeans for easily disposing of the ing water contained in cans'positioned within the tank between the two lines of supplemental headers and cooling tubes. I do not, however, wish to be understood as limiting myself to this particular adaptation of the apparatus, inasmuch as it can be used merely for cooling brine, water, or other media, the cooled media being conducted to a distant oint where it is to be utilized, and then conducted back to the tank.

In the operation of the apparatus, the fans are caused to be rotated through the means hereinbefore described, and this rotation sets up a continuous circulation of thebrine or other refrigerating medium, so that said mef dium flows through the openings 20 at the fan end of the apparatus, and thence around the cooling tubes and out the opposite end opening 20 and back into the main portion of the tank, and soon throughout the operation.

The liquid refrigerant for the cooling tubes is supplied to the accumulator from the high pressure side ,of the refrigerating system, an from the accumulator it passes along headers 9-9 and 10 10, and thence to the supplemental headers 11 and 12, and 13 and 14, and thence circulates through the different cooling tubes, and finally only the gas or vapor travels back to the accumulator through the supplemental headers 11 and 12 and the main headers 9. In the event that the tubes 27 can,

not entirely take careof the local circulation, it is obvious 'frigerant may travel back to the accumulator 7 via the members 9, and ultimately return to the supplemental headers-13 and 14.

The level of the liquid refrigerant is approximately as' shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, although the level is slightly higher in the accumulator, which, of course, is natu-' ral because the flow must take place from the accumulator 7 to the supplemental headers 11, and 12 to replenish the liquid refrigerant which has evaporated in tubes 15 and 16 by the refrigerating medium in the tank and which medium surrounds the tubes and headers and moves past their surfaces at a high speed. The headers 13 and 14 not only serve to supply liquid refrigerant from the accumulator, but are also instrumental in aiding the circulation of the liquid refrigerant. They act to redistribute the liquid refrigerant which is carried along with the. vapor rising in pipesorgtubes 15 and 16, and which is brought back f om the supplemental headers 11and 12 to the supplemental headers 13 and 14, by the tubes 27.

' As before noted, the outlets of tubes 15 and 16 areu bove the liquid level, which permitsgeasier separation of liquid and vapor, and less pressure in the lower regions of the tubes or pipes, and consequently, lower evaporating temperatures.

. The evaporated liquid which leaves the major portion one of said tubes communicating at tending upwardly that some of the liquid retubes for the circulation I ant supply,

tubes 15 and 16 enters the supplemental headers 11 and 12 in the space above the liquid level, and then passes to the accumulator through the main headers 9-9, and from the accumulator it passes to the high pressure side, where it is condensed, and goes through the same cycle continuously.

I claim:

1. In cooling and ice tank coils, the combination of 'a tank, said tank being filled for a desired height with a refrigerating medium, upper and lower headers withinthe tank communicating with a source of liquid refrigerant supply, sets of cooling tubes for the circulation therethrough of the cooling medium, each set comprising at least three tubes,'the of each tube 'being vertically disposed, v its upper end with the interior of the upper header throughthe top of said header, and the lower end of said tube communicating with the lower header through the'top thereof, and the upper ends of the other tubes communicating with the interior of the upper header through the bottom'thereof and exinto the interior of said header for a desired distance, and its lower end communicating with the lower header, and means for causing a circulation of the refrigerating medium within the tank back and forth around the cooling tubes.

2. In cooling and ice tank coils, the combination of a tank, said tank being filled for a desired height with a refrigerating medium, upper and lower headers within the tank and communicatin refrigerant supply, the lower of said headers being slightly out of alinement vertically with the header thereabove, sets of cooling therethrough of ti 1e cooling medium, each set comprisin tin-ea tubes, the upper end of one of said tubes (-2:- tering the top of the upper header wnh which it cooperates, and then curved over and extending downwardly, with its lower end communicating with the interior of the lower header through the top thereof, and the upper ends of the other tubes communicating with the interior of and their lower ends curved or bent and entering the side of the said lower header, and means for causing a circulation of the refrigerating medium within the tank back and forth around the cooling tubes.

3. In cooling and ice tank coils, the combination of a tank, said tank being filled for a desired height with a refrigeratlng medium, upper and lower headers within the tank communicating sets'of cooling tubes for the circulation therethroughof the cooling medium, each set consisting of three classes of tubes,

one class of said tubes communicating at the upper header,

with a-source of liquid refrigertop of said upper header,

with a source of liquid v and the lower ends thereof communicating headers and cooling tubes, said casings prowith the lower header through the top therevided with openings at opposite ends thereof of, and the upper ends of the other classes of and means adjacent one of the openings of said tubes communicating with the interior of the casings to cause a circulation of the re- 5 the upper header through the bottom therefrigerating liquid within the tank continu- 70 of, with some extending a greater distance ously through the casings and around the into said header than others, and their lower cooling tubes, and thence out of the opposite ends communicating with the lower header, end openings of the casings and back to the i a casing enclosing the headers and cooling tank.

tubes, said casing having openings in oppo- In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature. 75

site ends thereof, and means providing a con- ERNST S. H. BAARS.

tinuous circulation of the refrigerating medium within the tank through one opening of the casing. and around the headers and cooling tubes, and out of the opposite opening 80 and back to the tank.

4. In cooling and ice tank coils, the combination of a tank, said tank being filled for a desired height with a refrigerating medi- 2 um, an accumulator located in the tank at one 85 endthereof and extending upwardly above the tank, said accumulator being in communication with a source of liquid refrigerant supply, main headers located in the tank and extending from the accumulator, upper and '90 lower supplemental headers within the tank and extending from the main headers, sets of cooling tubes for the circulation therethrough of the liquid refrigerant,each set comprising three tubes, one of said tubes communicating 5 r at its upper end with the interior of the upper header through the top of said header, and the lower end thereof communicating with the lower header through the top thereof, and

the upper ends of the other tubes communi- 10o eating with the interior of the upper header through the bottom thereof, and their lower ends communicating with the lower header, and means for causing a circulation of the r refrigerating medium within the tank back 105 and forth around the cooling tubes, the arrangement of the headers and tubes causing equalizationof the flow of refrigerant liquid through the cooling tubes.

4 5. In cooling and ice tank coils, the coma I n bination of atank, said tank being filled for a desired height with a refrigerating medium, an accumulator near one end of the tank and medially of said end, main upper and lower headers extending from diametrically n5 opposite portions of the accumulator, upper and lower supplemental headers within the tank and extending from the main headers, sets of cooling tubes for the circulation therea throligh of a cooling fluid, each set comprising three tu'bes,*one of said tubes communicating at its upper end with the interior of the up er header through the top of said header,

an the lower end thereof communicating 60 with the lower header'through the top there- 12 of, and the upper ends of the other tubes communicatingwith the interior of the upper header through the bottom thereof, and their lower ends communicating with the lower header, casings enclosing the supplemental 

